BRIAN Cox is set to join a rally for Scottish independence – and some people aren’t very happy about it.
Scottish Conservative chair Craig Hoy was one of those to come crawling out of the woodwork to berate Cox for having the temerity to have an opinion on the future of the land of his birth.
Confusingly for an outspoken Unionist who takes his marching orders from London, Hoy had an issue with Cox getting involved because he doesn’t live in Scotland anymore.
📢 Speaker announcement. 📺 We are proud to announce that the Actor Brian Cox, will be joining us on Saturday, 2nd September in Edinburgh, at the March & Rally for an Independent Scotland in the EU. @YesforEU 👉 Event details: https://t.co/Ln5PozQ6oz pic.twitter.com/WVuLwQ8BJH
— Believe in Scotland (@believeinscot) August 19, 2023
The Scottish Tory’s comment came in response to a post from National columnist Lesley Riddoch, who had written: “Brian Cox to address Yes rally in Edinburgh next month. Grand.
“Let's bury our differences, show common cause, get the coaches booked, flags dusted down, waterproofs packed and show the world Yessers haven’t gone away and will never give up on independence.”
Responding, Hoy wrote: “Will he here there in person? Or will he be Zooming in from his homes in New York or North London?
“Isn’t he a Yesser who, literally, has gone away?”
SNP head of digital Ross Colquhoun quipped: “These talented Scots who travel the world working on successful movies must be stopped.”
These talented Scots who travel the world working on successful movies must be stopped.
— Ross Colquhoun (@rosscolquhoun) August 21, 2023
Cox, who was born in Dundee, now has homes in New York City, New York state, and London – according to Hello! Magazine.
Stirling University lecturer Hannah Graham wrote to Hoy: “Craig, I am intrigued, why is it an issue if he lives in England?
“Trying to follow your logic, should your views be judged because you lived in London and overseas (for indyref)?
“The Minister for the Union and PM has homes in London, Nth Yorkshire, Santa Monica – is this an issue?”
More than that, Hoy’s own boss Rishi Sunak had a US green card – which is for permanent residents – while he was serving as UK chancellor. Oh, and his heiress wife Akshata Murthy had “non-domestic” status as a taxpayer, despite living on Downing Street.
But the Tories’ don’t want you looking at their own living arrangements.
The double-standards didn’t go unnoticed.
As one user quipped: “Yeah, I preferred it when you lot got all the celebrities who've never lived here to sign a letter telling us how great the Union is for us.”
Other users branded Hoy’s attack “feeble”, while one wrote: “He will be here in person and I'm very much looking forward to hearing him speak in Edinburgh.
“Oh and thanks for the free advertising for it.”
Labour peer George Foulkes, never one to miss a chance to take a jab, also got in on the action.
“Looking forward to Brian Cox and @LesleyRiddoch explain how they propose to achieve independence against the wishes of the people of Scotland,” the unelected Lord wrote, as if the wishes of the people have any bearing on his own standing.
It is further unclear how Labour plans to gauge the wishes of the people of Scotland, given their dedication to a block on a second independence referendum.
